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noun Uncommon

dirk

durk

Dirk (noun) means a long dagger with a straight blade, traditionally associated with Scotland. Example: “The dirk was tucked into his belt as part of the Highland dress.”

noun
1
A long dagger with a straight blade, traditionally associated with Scotland.
"The dirk was tucked into his belt as part of the Highland dress."
2
A ceremonial dagger worn as part of a naval or military uniform.
"Officers carried a dirk as part of their formal dress uniform."
name
1
A male given name of German or Dutch origin.
"Dirk grew up in Amsterdam before moving abroad."

How to Use Dirk

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA traditional Scottish dagger, or a ceremonial military dagger — also used as a first name.

Common pairings
wear a dirk ceremonial dirk

Word Forms

dirked past tense, dirked past tense, dirks plural, dirks plural, Dirks plural, dirks singular, dirks singular

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The _____ was tucked into his belt as part of the Highland dress.

Etymology

Origin uncertain; first recorded in English around 1602, popularly linked to Scots and Scottish Gaelic though no clear source word has been confirmed.

Origin: Scottish Gaelic · First attested 1602

Class of 1602 dirk joined the language around 1602.
See the full Class of 1602 →

Rhymes for dirk

See all rhymes for dirk →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “dirk” mean?

The word “dirk” means a long dagger with a straight blade, traditionally associated with Scotland. In plain terms, a traditional Scottish dagger, or a ceremonial military dagger — also used as a first name.

How do you pronounce “dirk”?

“Dirk” is pronounced durk (/dɝk/ in IPA).

How do you use “dirk” in a sentence?

Here is “dirk” used in a sentence: “The dirk was tucked into his belt as part of the Highland dress.”

What part of speech is “dirk”?

Depending on how it is used, “dirk” can be a noun and a name.

Where does the word “dirk” come from?

The word “dirk” dates back to around 1602 and comes from Scottish Gaelic. Origin uncertain; first recorded in English around 1602, popularly linked to Scots and Scottish Gaelic though no clear source word has been confirmed.

Is “dirk” a common word?

“Dirk” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “dirk” have?

“Dirk” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a long dagger with a straight blade, traditionally associated with Scotland.

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